Built for learners, by a learner.
Hirakata is a free, browser-based flashcard app for mastering Hiragana and Katakana — no account, no install, just effective practice.
Our Mission
Hirakata is a free web application designed to help learners master Japanese Hiragana and Katakana characters through interactive flashcards and engaging study modes. We believe that learning Japanese should be accessible, enjoyable, and effective for everyone.
What We Offer
Our application provides a comprehensive learning experience with multiple study modes to suit different learning styles:
Hiragana & Katakana
- Study Mode — Flip flashcards to learn characters at your own pace
- Quiz Mode — Test your knowledge with multiple-choice questions
- Match Mode — Match characters with their pronunciations
- Review Mode — Comprehensive overview of all characters
JLPT Vocabulary
Our Vocabulary section lets you study Japanese vocabulary organized by JLPT level (N5–N1) with dedicated flashcard modes. Study in JP→EN or EN→JP direction, toggle furigana readings, shuffle your deck, and choose any combination of JLPT levels to focus on.
Features
- Complete Character Sets — All 46 basic Hiragana and Katakana characters
- Diacritical Marks — Learn dakuten (゛) and handakuten (゜) variations
- Contracted Sounds — Master combination characters like きゃ, しゅ, ちょ
- Character Selection — Focus on specific characters you want to practice
- Audio Pronunciation — Hear how each character sounds
- Progress Tracking — Monitor your learning progress
- Responsive Design — Works seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile
- Accessibility — Full keyboard navigation and screen reader support
Our Approach
We've designed Hirakata with learning science in mind. Our app uses principles like spaced repetition, active recall, and progressive difficulty to help you retain what you learn.
- Simplicity — Clean, distraction-free interface
- Flexibility — Study at your own pace, your own way
- Effectiveness — Multiple learning modes for comprehensive practice
- Accessibility — Free and available to everyone
Learning Resources
In addition to the interactive learning tools, we provide educational articles covering topics from basic introductions to advanced techniques — getting started guides, understanding diacritical marks, effective learning strategies, and common mistakes to avoid. Browse all articles.
Get Started
Ready to begin your Japanese learning journey? Start with Study mode to familiarize yourself with the characters, then use Quiz and Match modes to test your knowledge. Once you have the kana down, head to the Vocabulary section to build your JLPT word bank.
Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to reinforce your knowledge, Hirakata is here to support your learning every step of the way.
About the Author
Hirakata was created by Mark Hasebe, a Japanese language learner who built the app to make studying kana accessible and effective for everyone.